Yemisi Izuora
India’s has maintained a lead in crude oil import from Nigeria which according to record hit 23.7 million metric (MMT) tonnes between 2015 and 2016. The figure represented 12 percent of the country’s overall import.
India also imports 2 million metric tonnes (MMTPA) of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Nigeria per annum.
Also Nigeria is about signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with India that will see India broadening her stake in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
According to Idang Alibi
Director, Press Ministry of Petroleum Resources,
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, on a three day official visit to India negotiated a $15 billion investment.
Under the proposed agreement, the Indian Government would make an upfront payment for Crude purchase to Nigeria, to be repaid on the basis of firm Term Crude Contracts over some years.
Also, Indian public sector companies would be engaged in Nigeria’s refining sector as well as exploration and production activities on a Government-to-Government basis by Indian PSU Companies.
Both governments would endorse long term contracts for supply of crude to Indian PSU companies from Nigeria and also possibilities of executing CGD and LPG infrastructure projects by Indian PSU companies in Nigeria.
The Minister, has also concluded talks on the investments in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas sector in a bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart in charge of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.
Both Ministers noted the existing and significant engagement between the two countries in the hydrocarbon sector, while acknowledging that Nigeria was one of the largest trading partners of India in Africa which is dominated by import of crude oil and gas from Nigeria.
Following this negotiation, the two countries have agreed to work on a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate investments by India in the Nigerian Oil and Gas sector and specifically in areas such as Term Contract, participation of Indian companies in the refining sector, oil and gas marketing, upstream ventures, the development of gas infrastructure and in the training of oil and gas personnel in Nigeria.
The MoU is expected to be firmed up in December 2016 during PETROTECH-2016.
Both Ministers also agreed to strengthen the existing cooperation in Oil and Gas sector, and in particular to explore investment opportunities for Indian Public and Private sector companies in Nigeria.
On the sidelines of the official visit, the Minister of State had one-on-one meetings with top executives of Indian Public Sector Oil and Gas companies and also representatives of some Indian private sector Oil and Gas companies.